Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Left-hander Joe Beimel handed [Russell] Martin a picture of a garden gnome cloaked in Dodger blue that is sold on the team's official website, telling him that he needed a "hitting gnome" similar to the gnome the relievers carry to the bullpen every game for good luck. Martin wrote on the image, "Hitting Gnome. Rub Me Here for Hits," and taped it on the back of one of the benches. Martin and [Nomar] Garciaparra said they touched the picture.

[Brad] Penny got a hit without making contact with the image -- "I don't like gnomes," he said. "They're evil-looking" -- but wasn't about to question its power, as he said the offensive surge allowed him to relax and pitch six effortless innings in which he gave up only one run.

"It worked," Penny said. "We better have him in there again."

Martin laughed.

"It should," he said. "I'm not superstitious, but I'm not the only one who got hits."

Martin laughed again when asked whether he would purchase a gnome to put in the dugout.

"I'll put it on a chain, I'll be like Flavor Flav," he said, referring to the rapper and reality TV star known for dangling an oversized clock from his neck.

[Andruw] Jones, who was hitless in four at-bats and lowered his average to .159, never had the chance to test the gnome's powers. Jones touched the picture in the ninth inning at Martin's insistence -- "He got pretty excited," Martin said -- but when Jones stepped into the on-deck circle, James Loney grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Like the hitting gnome, Monday's lineup will remain in place for today's game.